Outlines a number of initiatives that seek to facilitate and/or deliver sustainable development in Scotland: provisions in the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill and the voluntary adoption of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and/or the Equator Principles (EP). Describes the CSR agenda which may be viewed as a response to environmental, social and governance issues and the growing demands of investors and customers of businesses. Discusses EP, a set of voluntary guidelines adopted by 10 banks in June 2003 for determining, assessing and managing social and environmental risks in project financing. Looks at the application and content of EP and raises some concerns about them. Concludes that if increasingly more private and public sector institutions voluntarily commit to CSR and/or EP, it will complement the requirement in the proposed legislation (the Bill) to exercise development planning functions with the objective of contributing to sustainable development.